Body Protective Clothing

ABSTRACT

Body protective clothing, comprising a hard shell ( 2 ) for covering the body part to be protected and an impact protection ( 10 ) arranged at the inside of the body protective clothing, the impact protection ( 10 ) comprising an impact absorbing foam enclosed by an airtight casing and at least one valve ( 16, 16 ′) arranged at the airtight casing, wherein the valve ( 16, 16 ′) is realized as a pressure relief valve in such a way that the compression of the impact protection ( 10 ) caused as a result of a crash opens the valve ( 16, 16 ′) for pressure reduction in the impact protection ( 10 ).

The invention relates to a body protective clothing, comprising a hardshell for covering the body part to be protected and an impactprotection arranged at the inside of the body protective clothingwherein the impact protection comprises an impact absorbing foamenclosed by an airtight casing and at least a valve arranged at theairtight casing.

Conventional body protective clothing, for example crash helmets for thehead, consist of a hard outer shell and an impact absorbing layer at theinside, thus to at the side closer to the respective body part to beprotected, wherein the impact absorbing layer is mostly produced frompolystyrene.

A drawback is that polystyrene is quite stiff and little impactabsorbing whereby the force in case of a crash cannot be softlycushioned.

Rather, the crash energy is directly transmitted to the body part, forexample in the case of a crash helmet, to the head, which may lead tomore or less severe injuries, as for example craniocerebral traumas.

Further, a hard polystyrene inner shell is little comfortable but hardand inflexible so that it cannot adapt to the different shapes of thebody parts to be protected in different humans.

For example, there are crash helmets only with few different sizes forouter or inner shell, respectively, thus an adaptation to the veryvaried head shapes in humans being possible only to a limited extent.

For this adaptation to the respective user, in helmets are mostly usedsystems which are size-adjustable by pull cords.

For improving the above mentioned drawbacks, helmets with inner aircushion are already described where, however, in practice has beenproven that the air is displaced by the pressure in case of a crash onlyinto other zones of the air cushion, the head thereby directly bumpingonto the helmet's outer shell.

For the priority scope of crash damping, such an air cushion is thus notsuited. A further drawback of such body protective clothing, inparticular of such crash helmets with inner air cushion, is that a pumpis necessary for filling the cushion. If such a pump is integrated inthe helmet, as for example in EP 0 423 711, a complex construction ofthe helmet is necessary for this purpose.

Furthermore, a pump represents a component at risk of failure anddefect.

Taking along an external pump is, however, equally laborious and notdesired by the consumers.

EP 1 316 264, too, shows a helmet with an air cushion in the interior ofthe helmet wherein a pump is necessary for filling the cushion. But thisinvention again has the drawback that in case of a crash the air ispushed from the front side of the helmet backside and that thus the headis directly bumping onto the outer shell of the helmet.

Additionally, the air cushion is filled with air only after putting onthe helmet, whereby it is possible that an overpressure forms in thehelmet whereby to pressure points and following headache may develop.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,232 as well as EP 0 393 238 A1 show a further helmetwith an inflatable air bag with the same, just above describeddrawbacks.

In the last mentioned document the pump, for example, is integrated inthe chin bar what involves a high constructive effort and is accompaniedby an important risk of defect.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,408 describes a helmet with an impact protection,which has an air and a foam cushion. Further, a valve is provided withwhich air can be introduced and let out and thus the air density in thecushion can be regulated.

Again, in case of a crash the air in the cushion is displaced, the headthereby directly bumping onto the hard outer shell of the helmet.

Scope of the invention is to provide a body protective clothing, inparticular a helmet, where an impact protection is present which can inthe best-possible mode absorb the crash energy as a result of anaccident thereby significantly increasing the security of the user ofsuch a body protective clothing and avoiding—in case of the version ashelmet—the drawbacks of the above mentioned helmets.

Furthermore, the invention should increase the wearing comfort ofconventional body protective clothing, particularly of conventionalcrash helmets.

This is obtained by a body protective clothing with the features ofclaim 1.

Materials known per se are used for the hard shell which during use ofthe body protective clothing at least partially surrounds the body partto be protected and therefore serves for covering the body part to beprotected and thus in case of a crash represents the first protectivelayer.

At the inside of these outer shell an impact protection is arranged,which therefore during the use of the body protective clothing islocated between the body parts to be protected and the hard shell.

The impact protection can here be fixed to the hard shell, whereby thetype of fixing is basically arbitrary and methods known in the prior artcan be used.

Additionally, at the side of the impact protection facing the body partto be protected a textile layer can be arranged which produces acomfortable contact between the body protective clothing and the bodypart and hereby is also beneficial for the hygiene by being for examplesweat absorbing and being designed as to be removable from the impactprotection for cleaning.

The impact protection itself comprises an airtight casing and at least avalve arranged at this airtight casing.

Inside the airtight casing a foam is arranged which is especiallyconfigured for absorption of impacts. The foam can be constructed invariegated form for example multi-layered, it can be designed as gaspermeable, open-pored, and more or less compact.

The shape of the foam is variable because the foam is soft and alsopartially elastic, the impact protection thereby can adapt and nestle tothe body part to be protected so that in case of a crash the crashenergy can be distributed relatively uniformly across the whole abuttingbody area.

Because of an accident and of a crash that goes along with it the impactprotection is strongly and rapidly compressed building up anoverpressure in the impact protection. In particular, the air present inthe impact protection, which for example is located in the pores of thefoam, is compressed.

In order to dissipate now the energy built up thereby in the impactprotection and so to attenuate the crash, the valve arranged at theairtight casing is realized as a pressure relief valve and lets airescape thereby dissipating the crash energy. The crash is attenuated viathis energy dissipation by the escaping air in addition to the impactabsorption by the compression of the foam. In order to avoid a possibleerroneous activation of the valve realized as a pressure relief valve,the valve is designed in such a way that it opens only from a certaininner pressure in the impact protection.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in thedependent claims and are described in detail below.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is foreseen that an inletvalve is further provided at the airtight casing for the inlet of airinto the impact protection.

This valve can be foreseen separately from the valve realized as apressure relief valve for the pressure reduction. However, it may bealso provided that both valves are realized as a single, common valvewith a function for pressure reduction in case of overpressure in theimpact protection and with a function for the inlet of air, thusreducing the number of components.

If the respective user applies the body protective clothing according tothe invention, for example puts it on—if the body protective clothing isrealized as a crash helmet, the foam variable with respect to its shapeand size can adapt to the respective user possibly producing anoverpressure in the impact protection.

Contrary to the compression as a result of a crash or an accident thispressure built-up in case of putting on or applying the body protectiveclothing is much smaller and takes place more slowly.

To avoid pressure points during use, it may be provided that also thisoverpressure not developed by a crash is degraded by means of a valve.

Hereby, this function can be implemented in the inlet valve, for exampleif this is formed as check valve.

However, it may also be provided that the valve present for thereduction of the overpressure formed as a result of a crash, also thesmall overpressure originating from the application of the bodyprotective clothing is reduced by this valve.

The pressure relief valve can here be realized in such a way that it candistinguish between a rapid compression and a slow compression and thusalso opens if the small overpressure originating from the application ofthe body protective clothing appears.

However, it may also be provided that the inlet valve or the valverealized as a pressure relief valve is opened manually before and/orafter the application or putting on of the body protective clothing,respectively, and that thereby the pressure formed by the adaptation ofthe impact protection to the body shape of the user is reduced. Thus, anas optimal as possible fit and a high wearing comfort of the bodyprotective clothing can be obtained.

In this case thus, one of the above-mentioned valves is opened beforeand/or during donning slightly compressing the foam in the impactprotection during donning and the foam thereby adapting to the bodyshape of the user.

The opened valve reduces the thereby developed overpressure.

If the fit of the body protective clothing is satisfying, the valve isdosed again so that air can only escape via the valve realized as apressure relief valve, when in case of a crash a certain pressure isreached or exceeded in the impact protection, respectively.

It may also be provided that the valve realized as a pressure reliefvalve responds additionally a alternatively to an increase in pressureand opens from a certain pressure increase rate.

Furthermore, it may be provided that the valve closes again from acertain pressure after the increased pressure has been reduced.

Particularly preferred is that the inlet valve is realized in such a waythat it can absorb air because of a low pressure present in the impactprotection.

Thereby, it can be rendered possible that no pump is necessary to pumpup the impact protection with air thereby strongly increasing the easeof use of the body protective clothing according to the invention.

Here it is advantageous that the inlet valve has to be opened manuallyto permit the suction procedure.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the impactabsorbing foam arranged in the impact protection is viscoelastic and hasa shape memory function.

That means that the foam, after the impact protection during use of thebody protective clothing has nestled to the body part to be protectedand thereby has at least partially assumed its external shape, formsback again by essentially reassuming again its original shape viaexpansion after use of the body protective clothing.

The impact protection thus has a restoring effect whereby restoring itsoriginal shape can take place, depending on the construction of theinlet valve, automatically or after manual operation.

Such foams are known per se in the prior art and are referred to as“memory foams” on the market and are used for example in latexmattresses.

The restoring effect of the foam according to the invention isadvantageous also in case of a crash.

As outlined above, an overpressure is produced in the impact protectionas a result of a crash which is degraded by the valve realized as apressure relief valve via air outlet.

Thereby, the cushioning of the impact energy is supported additionallyto the pressure reduction via air outlet by means of the compression ofthe viscoelastic foam in the impact protection.

After a crash, the foam in the impact protection is compressed. But thefoam, because of its shape memory function, has the tendency to returninto its original form whereby inside the airtight casing of the impactprotection a low pressure develops which can automatically open theinlet valve and the foam can restore together with the airtight casingits original shape.

Nevertheless, it may also be provided that the inlet valve has to beoperated manually to permit an air inlet. It is essentially that no pumpis needed what strongly increases the ease to use of the body protectiveclothing according to the invention.

For this purpose, of course it is useful that the material of theairtight casing is flexible and variable in its shape thereby notstanding in the way of a change of shape of the impact protection. Thisensures that on the one hand different users can use the body protectiveclothing because the foam and therewith the impact protection can adaptto the respective user and no predetermined shape of the inside of thebody protective clothing is present for all users.

Thus, a particularly high and especially for a plurality of users equalwearing comfort is given.

The airtight casing of the impact protection itself, however, has to belittle or not elastic, in particular not tensile and not tensionallyelastic as otherwise in case of a crash an expansion bubble could format the weakest point of the impact protection.

In addition, the function as impact protection is particularly wellgiven as the foam fits by means of the adaptability as uniformly aspossible around the body part to be protected and thereby can absorbmuch energy in case of a crash.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention this restoringand expansion of the foam is obtained letting in air via a valvearranged at the airtight casing of the impact protection.

During use of the body protective clothing, in particular if this ismore or less strongly fixed to the user, forces are acting on the impactprotection, which have caused an adaptation of the impact protection tothe outer body shape and a small compression of the foam.

If the user puts off the body protective clothing these forces aremissing so that in the impact protection there is low pressure whichabsorbs air via the above described inlet valve wherein in a preferredembodiment of the invention for this purpose the inlet valve has to beopened, whereon air then is absorbed spontaneously into the impactprotection.

A pump arranged in the helmet or a pump taken along externally is notnecessary thereby increasing considerably the comfort of use and theabsence of breakdowns of the body protective clothing according to theinvention.

In one embodiment of the invention it is foreseen that the impactprotection not only a single chamber enclosed by an airtight casing withthe impact absorbing foam is formed but has a plurality of chambers,several of these chambers being filled with the impact absorbing foam.

Particularly, in extensive body protective clothing, as in a helmet, itcan thereby be permitted that the adaptation to the body part to beprotected is even better possible and that in case of a crash singlechambers selectively have an energy absorbing or energy dissipatingeffect, respectively.

Thereby it may be foreseen that several chambers are equipped with avalve for pressure reduction and/or an inlet valve, whereby again asingle valve can exert both functions, thus autonomously having effectas impact protection.

However, it may also be advantageous that several chambers arecommunicating with each other via an air conduit system therebypermitting that not each of the chambers filled with an impact absorbingfoam has to include such valves and that the pressure can be directedacross several chambers to the valve.

If the chambers are interconnected, it may be provided to arrange theinlet valve or the inlet valves and additionally or alternatively, thepressure relief valve or the pressure relief valves at the connectionsbetween the chambers, which are also part of the impact protection.

In a further embodiment of the invention it is foreseen that between thehard shell and the impact protection a further impact absorbing layer,preferably of polystyrene, is arranged.

Such polystyrene layers are the only impact-absorbing layer inconventional helmets. By means of the additional arrangement of such animpact absorbing layer the energy dissipation or the energy absorption,respectively, can be additionally increased in case of a crash. Sincethis additional impact absorbing layer is arranged between the impactprotection according to the invention and the hard shell, the advantagesof the impact protection, i.e. the adaptation to the respective user,are, however, not diminished.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention it is provided that theimpact absorbing foam is viscoelastic and consists, for example, ofpolyurethane, in particular of a polyurethane foam.

Furthermore, it may be provided that the hard shell also comprisessynthetic material. Such cured synthetic materials can for example alsocomprise polyurethane.

However, it may also be provided to use elastomers or otherthermoplastic synthetic materials because these are particularly easy toproduce by means of injection molding. In general, however, all hardmaterials (for example, also metals like titanium or aluminum or wood)are useable as hard shells.

Composite materials are possible, too. Advantageous are here materials,which have a sufficient hardness but a low weight.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, fixing meansare provided at the body protective clothing for fixing the bodyprotective clothing to the body.

These are fixing means known per se like for example, in case of a crashhelmet, chin bars or further belt-like fixing systems. Belt systems arealso useful for other body protective clothing. However, velcro closuresor other strap-like fixing means may be provided.

It may also be advantageous that further external devices for adaptingthe fit to the body part to be protected are provided at or in the bodyprotective clothing, respectively. These are also devices known per sein the prior art.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, means foraeration are arranged in the body protective clothing. Thus, an airexchange between body and outside air is possible, what can induce acooling.

This is particularly useful in extensive body protective clothing, likein a helmet, because a heat accumulation can develop due to the airtightimpact protection what negatively affects the wearing comfort.

In the case of aeration means, these may be for example holes in thehard shell as well as holes in the impact protection, in particularbetween several of the impact protection chambers. In addition, channelsare conceivable which direct the air to a certain area.

This is again particularly true for crash helmets where the airstream ofthe front side can be used for the aeration of the head. It may also beprovided that the body protective clothing, in particular the impactprotection, has openings for determined body parts. For example, ahelmet according to the invention can have recesses for the ears.

Such a body protective clothing particularly concerns a crash helmet forthe protection of the head, elbow protectors, knee protectors, wristprotectors and different protectors, like for example back protectors.

More details and benefits of the present invention are illustrated inmore detail in the following by means of the figure description withreference to the drawings that show:

in FIG. 1, a partially cut-away side view of a conventional helmet ofthe prior art;

in FIG. 2, a partially cut-away side view of a body protective clothingaccording to the invention realized as a helmet;

in FIG. 3, a side view of a body protective clothing according to theinvention realized as a helmet;

in FIG. 4, a detailed view of the detail labeled with A of FIG. 3;

in FIG. 5, a further detailed view of the body protective clothingaccording to the invention realized as a helmet;

in FIG. 6, a partially cut-away view of an inlet valve for an impactprotection according to the invention;

-   -   in FIG. 7, a partially cut-away view of a valve realized as a        pressure relief valve for an impact protection according to the        invention;

in FIGS. 8 a and 8 b a cross-section and a side view of two embodimentsof the impact protection with vent holes;

in FIGS. 9 a and 9 b a front view and a rear view of a body protectiveclothing according to the invention realized as a back protector; and

in FIGS. 10 a and 10 b a front view and a rear view of a body protectiveclothing according to the invention realized as a knee protection.

FIG. 1 shows a partially cut-away side view of a conventional helmet 1of the prior art. Here a hard shell 2 with a subjacent impact absorbingpolystyrene layer 3 as a preventive measure against injuries in case ofa crash with the head is provided. The only energy absorbing mediumrepresents in this case the marginally shape variable polystyrene layer3.

Furthermore, a flexible ear member 5 with vent holes 12 and a chin bar 4for fixing the helmet 1 is illustrated.

Apart from the drawback, that only the polystyrene layer 3 has an impactabsorbing effect, it was found that also the wearing comfort of theconventional helmet 1 cannot be optimal, as—because of the only smallnumber of different helmet sizes—mostly a gap 8 remains free behind thehead, where the textile layer 11 arranged at the inside of thepolystyrene layer 3 not abuts on the head. An often inadequate andcumbersome size adjustment is carried out by a pull cord system 6 with aregulation device 7.

On the other hand, in FIG. 2 in a partially cut-away side view of a bodyprotective clothing according to the invention realized as a helmet 9 itcan be seen how the impact protection 10 filled with partially elastic,particularly viscoelastic foam conforms oneself to the head shape sothat the textile layer 11 arranged for hygiene and for wearing comfortfits all over the head.

Here again, a flexible earflap 5 with vent holes 12 as well as a chinbar 4 for fixing the helmet 9 is arranged. A pull cord system 6 withregulation device 7, however, can be abandoned. The points in the foamof the impact protection 10 here represent pores of the foam. In case ofa compression of the foam, these pores are more or less closed, thusincreasing the foam density and the pressure inside the impactprotection 10.

FIG. 3 shows in a side view the helmet 9 according to the invention withhard shell 2 and flexible ear member 5.

In this case, the impact protection 10 arranged under the hard shell 2consists of two chambers 13, 13′ which are filled with partiallyelastic, in particular viscoelastic foam. The chambers 13, 13′ arerepresented in hatched form. In addition, a connection 14 between thechambers 13, 13′ which permits an air exchange between these chambers13, 13′ is illustrated. This connection 14 is also part of the impactprotection 10.

In FIG. 4, the area labeled with A of FIG. 3 is shown in a detailedview. At this connection 15, an inlet valve is arranged. However,additionally it may be provided that this inlet valve 15 is arranged atthe front chamber 13 or at the rear chamber 13′, because an air exchangebetween the chambers 13 and 13′ is rendered possible by the connection14.

After use of the helmet 9 or after a crash, when the foam located in thechambers 13, 13′ has been compressed and when, because of its tendencygiven by the shape memory function to return into its original shape, alow pressure emerges in the impact protection 10, i.e. in the chambers13 and/or 13′, a pressure compensation can take place by means of thisinlet valve 15.

This inlet valve 15 can be manually operated so that it is opened forexample by means of finger pressure onto this inlet valve 15. However,it may also be provided that from a certain low pressure this valve 15automatically opens and then, in case of pressure compensation, itautomatically closes again.

This inlet valve 15, however, can additionally also reduce a smalloverpressure in the impact protection 10 therefore letting escape airwhen the impact protection 10 adapts to the head shape by putting on thehelmet and the foam in the impact protection 10 is somewhat compressed.

On the rear side of the helmet 9 not represented in FIG. 3, two valves16, 16′ realized as pressure relief valves are arranged between thechambers 13, 13′.

However, it may also be provided that here too only one of thesepressure relief valves is arranged on a connection between the chambers13, 13′.

It is also possible that the inlet valve 15 itself is realized as apressure relief valve 16, and thus to permit both functions, the releaseof air as well as the inlet of air.

By means of the autonomous pressure release valves 16, 16′ it is in anycase guaranteed that a localized energy dissipation of the impact energyis possible, while in case of a crash on the front side only the frontpressure release valve 16 opens or in case of a crash more in the reararea of the helmet 9 only the pressure relief valve 16′ of the rearchamber 13′ opens.

In case of a high impact energy, these pressure relief valves 16, 16′permit a further energy absorption or energy dissipation, respectively,in addition to the viscoelastic foam being compressed in the chambers13, 13′.

The valves 16, 16′ may be designed so that they open only from a certainoverpressure which forms as a result of the compression of the foam inthe chambers 13, 13′.

In case of a crash with only small energy, the impact absorption in thiscase merely takes place by means of the foam being compressed. However,it may also be provided that the pressure relief valves 16, 16′ openalready at a small overpressure so that in case of small impact energythe air exciting the valves 16, 16′ is sufficient as impact absorption.

In FIG. 6 a partially cut-away representation of an embodiment of aninlet valve 15 is illustrated. This is a spring-loaded check valve,wherefore inside the housing 17 a spring 19 is arranged. The closureelement 18 is closed in one direction by the spring 19, whereas it isreleased in the other direction by overcoming the spring force. Thus,the inlet valve 15 can be used for the compensation of the pressure inthe chambers 13, 13, i.e. in the impact protection 10.

Apart from the air inlet function, this inlet valve 15 can also assumethe pressure compensation function in case of the small overpressureemerging by the application, i.e. by putting on the body protectiveclothing, in the impact protection 10, while this adapts to the bodyshape. If, for example, the helmet 9 is put on, the volume available forthe air is reduced and the pressure slightly increased.

To obtain an optimum wearing comfort, a pressure compensation is carriedout via the inlet valve 15.

This functionality is similar to that of a bicycle valve. After havingtaken off again the helmet 9 or in general the body protective clothing,a low pressure has formed in the impact protection 10 because of theviscoelastic foam which can also be compensated by this inlet valve 15automatically or after manual operation.

Precondition to the operation of this inlet valve 15, which is realizedas a check valve, is a not or only slightly tensile, but flexibleairtight casing of the impact protection 10.

In FIG. 7 a pressure relief valve 16 is illustrated which limits themaximum permissible pressure in the chambers 13, 13 of the impactprotection. If the pressure in the impact protection 10 exceeds as aresult of a compression of the foam by a crash a certain adjustablelimit value, this pressure relief valve 16 permits the air outlet sothat precisely this maximum pressure is protected against exceeding,thus realizing an overpressure protection.

In this embodiment the housing 20 comprises again a spring 23. The valveopening 22 realized as a needle valve is provided with a sealing 21.

In FIG. 8 a a partially cut-away side view of a helmet 9 according tothe invention is illustrated. Apart from the vent holes 12 in theflexible ear member 5 further vent holes 12′ are arranged in the hardshell 2 and in the impact protection. The impact protection itself againcan comprise one or more chambers.

By means of these vent holes 12′ it is possible to feed cooling air tothe head so that the helmet 9 according to the invention, for example,is advantageously applicable also for sweat-inducing kinds of sport ascycling.

In FIG. 8 b a further embodiment of the impact protection 10 accordingto the invention is illustrated. In addition to the vent holes 12′ afurther opening 24 is provided, serving for including the ears.

In FIG. 9 a a rear view of a body protection clothing realized as a backprotector 25 is illustrated. This back protector 25 comprises a hardshell which, in case of use, is arranged at the outside of the body,thus at the side facing away from the body. Two arm slings 26, 26′ andan abdominal belt 27 serve for fixing to the user.

In FIG. 9 b a front view of this back protector 25 is illustrated,wherein the impact protection 10 which, where appropriate, directlyabuts with a textile strap 11 on the body, is illustrated in hatchedform.

For reasons of clarity, no pressure relief valve 16 and no inlet valve15 are illustrated.

In FIG. 10 a a further embodiment of a body protective clothingaccording to the invention is illustrated. A knee protection 28 againhas a hard shell 2 arranged at the outside and two fastening straps 29,29′.

In FIG. 10 b a rear view of the knee protection 28 is illustrated, wherethe impact protection 10 arranged in the inside is represented ashatched area.

The fastening straps 29, 29′ are preferably fixable by means of velcroclosures. For reasons of clarity, no pressure relief valve 16 and noinlet valve 15 are represented.

It goes without saying that the body protective clothing according tothe invention is not limited to the embodiments represented in thefigures, nor shall be limited by them, but comprises all technicalequivalents which may fall into the range of the following claims.

In particular, the body protective clothing according to the inventionis not limited to special kinds of application. Thus, crash helmetsaccording to the invention are conceivable as motorcycle helmets, skihelmets, bicycle helmets, climbing helmet, safety helmets for dangerouswork, and the like.

1) Body protective clothing, comprising a hard shell for covering thebody part to be protected and an impact protection arranged at theinside of the body protective clothing, the impact protection comprisingan impact absorbing foam enclosed by an airtight casing and at least onevalve arranged at the airtight casing and capable of letting airescaping from said airtight casing, wherein the valve being realized asa pressure relief valve configured so as to open only from a predefinedoverpressure in said impact protection in such a way that thecompression of the impact protection caused as a result of a crash opensthe valve for pressure reduction in the impact protection. 2) Bodyprotective clothing according to claim 1), wherein an inlet valve isarranged at the airtight casing. 3) Body protective clothing accordingto claim 1), wherein the inlet valve being realized in such a way thatit absorbs air by means of a low pressure in the impact protection. 4)Body protective clothing according to claim 1), wherein the impactabsorbing foam has a shape memory function realized in such a way thatthe impact protection of the body protective clothing after use expandsat least essentially to its original form. 5) Body protective clothingaccording to claim 1), wherein the inlet valve and the valve forpressure reduction are realized as a single common valve. 6) Bodyprotective clothing according to claim 1), wherein the impact protectionhas several chambers, a plurality of these chambers being filled withthe impact absorbing foam. 7) Body protective clothing according toclaim 6), wherein at least a plurality of these chambers, preferably allof them, are interconnected with each other with an air conduit system.8) Body protective clothing according to claim 6), wherein several ofthe chambers of the impact protection have a valve for pressurereduction as a result of a compression of the relative chamber of theimpact protection and/or an inlet valve. 9) Body protective clothingaccording to claim 1), wherein a further impact absorbing layer,preferably of polystyrene, is arranged between the hard shell and theimpact protection. 10) Body protective clothing according to claim 1),wherein the impact absorbing foam consists of polyurethane. 11) Bodyprotective clothing according to claim 1), wherein the hard shellcomprises synthetic material, preferably polyurethane or an elastomer,and/or titanium and/or aluminum. 12) Body protective clothing accordingto claim 1), wherein the hard shell comprises glass fibers and/or carbonfibers. 13) Body protective clothing according to claim 1), whereinfixing means for fixing the body protective clothing, preferably to thebody part to be protected, and/or device for adapting the fit to thebody part to be protected is or are arranged at the body protectiveclothing. 14) Body protective clothing according to claim 1), whereinmeans for aeration are arranged in the body protective clothing. 15)Body protective clothing according to claim 1), wherein the bodyprotective clothing is realized as a helmet.